Aspirin is very helpful in preventing
heart attacks because it interferes
with a normal blood clotting element called platelets. It actually prevents the
platelets from aggregating to form a clot. Aspirin does this by directly
attaching to a portion of an enzyme in the platelets, thereby preventing the
aggregation process.

Recently, ibuprofen has been shown to interfere with aspirin's blocking of
the platelet enzyme; it essentially "gets in the way" of the aspirin. If aspirin
is taken with ibuprofen, it could significantly diminish the effect of aspirin
in preventing heart attacks.

I recommend that patients who are taking aspirin to prevent heart attacks and
need ibuprofen, take their aspirin two hours before taking ibuprofen, such as
first thing in the morning with breakfast. In this way, the aspirin is able to
interfere with the platelet aggregation by binding to the platelet enzyme before
ibuprofen is around. I also recommend that both aspirin and ibuprofen be taken
with food.